A yacht that experienced rudder failure and started taking on water has been towed to safety by the NSRI.
|||A yacht that experienced rudder failure and started taking on water was towed to the Durban Harbour by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) on Sunday afternoon.
NSRI Durban Station Commander, Clifford Ireland, said a sea rescue duty crew had been conducting maintenance and training, when they were asked for assistance.
“The Point Yacht Club safety boat reported that the local 42 foot yacht Bellissima, with seven crew on board who were taking part in a routine Sunday yacht club regatta, had suffered rudder failure and were taking water in 4.5m breaking swells and a 35 knot South Westerly wind, at the Fairway Buoy, 2.5 nautical miles off-shore off the Port of Durban,” he said.
Ireland said their crew launched their sea rescue craft Megan II (a 7.5m rigid inflatable rescue boat) and on arrival the yacht was secured and all of her crew found to be safe.
“But, because of the rough sea conditions, the decision was taken not to attempt to tow the yacht to port using Megan II and our sea rescue craft Eikos Rescuer II (a 10m deep-sea rescue boat) was launched.
“Once on scene Eikos Rescuer II took the yacht under tow and she was safely towed into port,” he said. - Daily News
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